Learning Outside the Classroom Walls

This spring the BBA Program is offering a unique elective – Social Enterprise in Nicaragua. Taught by Peter Roberts, Associate Professor of Organization and Management, the course will integrate classroom learning with an eight-day trip to Nicaragua May 10-18.

Professor Robert has led seven student trips to Nicaragua in conjunction with Emory’s local partner, Comunidad Connect, and looks forward to bringing an eager group of BBAs to this amazing country.

Students will be exposed to the many development challenges in the region and engage in discussions on how business acumen and market-based approaches can be applied to achieve economic and societal impacts. Issues covered in the course range from sustainability and business development to women’s cooperatives and the economics of coffee.

In explaining the program’s appeal, Anne Kocurek, Associate Director of the BBA Career Management Center, notes, “Traveling abroad creates awareness for a student’s potential contribution both globally and locally and prepares them for the business travel they will do later in their career.”

This two-part elective provides students with an opportunity to apply concepts covered in the classroom to a real world setting.

The class is designed to expose and engage students to various non-profit and for-profit organizations as well as social entrepreneurs that are seizing opportunities to expand their businesses in Nicaragua.

During the weekly class meetings, students read and discuss articles to prepare for their stay in Nicaragua. In country, they will have the opportunity to link their specific experiences and observations to broader frameworks. The group will travel to four regions: Jinotega and Los Robles (agricultural issues), Granada (cultural issues), Managua (urban issues) and San Juan del Sur (tourism). This variety will allow students to fully identify and appreciate the various opportunities for economic and social impact using different approaches in each setting.

The short study abroad trip is a convenient alternative to the traditional semester-long study abroad program, allowing students with less flexibility in their schedules to be exposed to an international business experience.